What to do when a Affinity Federal account holder dies

You will need a certified death certificate, government-issued ID for the person(s) settling the account, and either an NJ L8 form (if the deceased was a New Jersey resident) or an Affidavit of Domicile (if the deceased was not a New Jersey resident). If you do not qualify for the L8 form, a tax waiver is required and a hold may be placed on date-of-death balances. Accounts without beneficiaries or joint owners require Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from surrogate court.

The L8 form is mandated by the New Jersey Division of Taxation for settling accounts of deceased NJ residents. It serves as an inheritance tax waiver. If you do not qualify to use the L8 form, a separate tax waiver will be required and Affinity may place a hold on the date-of-death balances until the tax waiver is received. For questions about the L8 form, contact the NJ Division of Taxation at 609-292-5033.

Contact Affinity's Decedent Department at 800-325-0808, fax documents to 908-860-3880, or mail them to Affinity Federal Credit Union, Attn: Decedent Department, 73 Mountainview Blvd, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920. Upon notification, Affinity places balance holds, disables card access, suspends recurring transactions, and freezes online/mobile banking. For joint accounts, the surviving owner retains the account. For POD/TOD accounts, named beneficiaries receive funds after submitting required documentation. The credit union cannot validate a Will; wills must be probated through Surrogate's Court.